Hovenia dulcis Thunb. Fruit Extract Attenuates Psoriatic Skin Inflammation in Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Stimulated Human Keratinocyte HaCaT Cells In Vitro

Hovenia dulcis Thunb. fruit (HDF) is traditionally used for treating liver diseases and alcohol poisoning. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of HDF on hyperproliferation, levels of inflammatory cytokines, and signaling mechanisms in human psoriatic keratinocyte HaCaT cells. HDF showed a preventive effect on tumor necrosis factor-& alpha; (TNF-& alpha;)-induced abnormal proliferation of psoriatic keratinocytes. Furthermore, real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that HDF suppressed the expressions of inflammatory cytokines; interleukin (IL)-1 & alpha; and IL-1 & beta; and chemokines; CCL-20 and CXCL-8 in TNF-& alpha;-induced HaCaT cells. Western blotting revealed that HDF suppressed the levels of phosphorylated I & kappa;B and STAT3 together with a decline in the levels of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). These outcomes indicate that HDF prevents the abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes and modulates inflammatory responses by suppressing nuclear factor-& kappa;B (NF-& kappa;B) and STAT3 activation through downregulation of the MAPK signaling pathway in TNF-& alpha;-induced psoriatic keratinocytes. Our study demonstrates that HDF is prospective and beneficial for psoriatic skin inflammation.